The Food Standards Agency is warning culinary casanovas in the South West to check a restaurant's hygiene rating before booking a date this weekend.

According to a new agency poll, 17 per cent of people in the region have had a dating disaster on Valentine’s Day and, across the UK, bad restaurant experiences are responsible for 34 per cent of all nightmare nights out.

A third of daters reported that getting food poisoning from a restaurant is the worst thing that could happen to them on Valentine’s Day – even ahead of being dumped, at 28 per cent.

Despite this, 37 per cent don’t check the food hygiene rating of a restaurant before booking their Valentine’s meal.

Four in ten adults in the South West intend to mark Valentine’s Day with their partner or a date this year, with 68 per cent reporting that a meal out will form part of their plans.

Other top causes of the UK’s Valentine’s dating dramas are arguments, at 39 per cent, breakups, at 16 per cent, being ill 14 per cent, and getting too drunk 12 per cent.

Catriona Stewart, head of the Food Hygiene Ratings Scheme at the FSA, said:

“On Valentine’s Day people are focused on making sure that meal goes well and that they make a good impression with their date. We want them to factor in the food hygiene rating when deciding where to go and then enjoy their romantic meal out.  It’s easy to check ratings on our website.” 

Restaurants in England, Wales and Northern Ireland are given a ‘hygiene rating’, which shows how closely the business is meeting the requirements of food hygiene law. Ratings range from 0 being the worst to 5 being the best.  These results are available on the FSA website but many restaurants also display a green and black rating sticker in their window or door. In total, 91% of restaurants are rated 3, 4 or 5, meaning there are plenty of places with good standards to choose from.

For more information or to check the food hygiene rating of your local restaurant, takeaway or café visit:  www.food.gov.uk/ratings.